How Medical Doctor Evaluations Impact Personal Injury Claims

How Medical Doctor Evaluations Impact Personal Injury Claims

If you sustained injuries at your workplace, you might be entitled to medical treatment, disability benefits, and other benefits per the Workers’ Compensation Act. As per the Act, your employer and the insurance company have the right to choose the doctor who will treat your injury. They also have the right to define the treatments you will get. But the doctor’s professional medical opinion will impact your claim and when you can resume work.

How Medical Evaluations Impact Personal Injury Claims

The first thing you need to do after sustaining workplace injuries is to get medical treatment. Failure to do so or delays can prove hazardous for your health and compromise your personal injury claim. The insurer may think your injuries aren’t severe enough to merit compensation. Some of the ways a medical evaluation will impact your claim include the following:

Diagnosis Accuracy

The first thing you need to do is get an accurate diagnosis from your chosen doctor. Some injuries are simple to diagnose, such as car or motorcycle accidents. However, slip and fall injuries can be a bit more complex than these. The accuracy of the diagnosis will determine the tests and appointments you will need, which can add up to hefty medical bills. Insurers will also consider the time between the diagnosis and treatment. For instance, if your doctors spend too long diagnosing you, they may think your injuries are not severe enough and thus don’t deserve pain and suffering compensation. These damages are calculated by multiplying economic damages such as your medical bills with a number ranging from one to five. Similarly, if most of your medical bills are for diagnostic tests, the insurer may believe you don’t need a high multiplier. For more information on damage types, click here.

Treatments

The treatment’s timing, type, and frequency also impact your personal injury claim. This includes the duration between the accident and treatment, your treatment types, and how long each one lasted. So if you failed to get medical treatment right after your accident, the insurance company might try to give you a low offer. Similarly, if you could not follow up on treatment for a month after the last one, you can face the same issue. The same is true if the doctor cannot provide treatment evidence consistent with serious injuries. The insurance company will also consider whether your treatment was invasive or not. Non-invasive treatments include MRIs, CT scans, X-rays, etc., and invasive ones include surgery and injections. The latter may suggest painful injuries. Your doctor will consider your condition chronic if your treatments last more than three months post-accident. If you recover in less time, convincing insurers you deserve compensation can be challenging without help from Antioch personal injury lawyers.

Contact The Law Offices Of Robert T. Edens For A Consultation Today!

The Antioch personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens have been fighting for the rights of injury victims for over two decades. We have recovered millions of dollars for their clients in damages. Contact us for a completely confidential consultation by dialing 847-395-2200. We can develop a legal strategy to ensure you get the maximum amount you deserve, complete with additional damages if applicable.

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